Typical fire alarm systems include a number of initiating devices positioned throughout a building (and/or a campus). Signals from those initiating devices are monitored by a system controller, such as a fire alarm control panel (“FACP”). The FACP, upon sensing an alarm condition, sends commands to a single notification appliance or multiple notification appliances to alert occupants in one section of the building, in multiple sections of the building, or in some or all sections of the building. Notification appliances can output a visual notification, an audible notification, or both. Examples of initiating devices include, but are not limited to heat detectors, smoke detectors, flame detectors, gas detectors, and the like.
In an addressable fire alarm system, each initiating device has a uniquely assigned address, enabling the FACP to send communications to and receive communications from a particular initiating device. Configuring the addressable fire alarm system requires more manpower. For example, configuration of the addressable alarm system requires setting a unique address at each initiating device (such as through switches or other type of means). As another example, configuration of the addressable alarm system requires entering device identification information (such as a label) for each initiating device.
Because configuring an addressable alarm system is time-consuming and expensive, a need exists to better configure initiating devices in an addressable fire alarm system.